The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
SWEET WAY TO DEFEAT CRAVINGS
Catherine Eddie looks at how healthy foods can help you overcome yearnings for sugary foods that give only temporary satisfaction
Acraving is not the same as hunger. A craving is driven by your brain’s need for reward as opposed to your body’s need of food. And sugar cravings are one of the most common food cravings, not to mention one of the main reasons we find it so hard to stick to a healthy-eating plan. Had enough of being a slave to the stuff? Here’s how you can reduce irresistible cravings for good.
Understanding your craving is key. If you can work out why you’re craving sweet treats and snacks, you can work to avoid your triggers, and when it comes to sugar there may be several.
Stress and low mood can push us to comfort eat; physical fatigue can demand a quick boost of energy; and lack of sleep can upset the hormones that regulate feelings of hunger and satiety, making us more susceptible to cravings.
Even dehydration and thirst can manifest as hunger and, when it comes to sugar, stimulate cravings. This is because your body needs an adequate supply of fluid to help metabolise glycogen (stored sugar), and if this isn’t happening your body will start to trigger sugar cravings to give itself a quick energy boost.
So in fairness to you, there are plenty of reasons why you may be tempted to raid sweet those the fridge – none willpower alone.
If you are to outsmart your cravings, you’ll need to take a look at your diet. Carbohydrates form the bulk of our diet and range from simple sugars such as white sugar, through to complex and slow-to-digest carbohydrates like grains and fresh “green” foods.
These foods have a much kinder, slowrelease effect on the body. They do contain sugars, but the sugars are locked up in the complex nature of their structure and it takes the body longer to access them.
Your blood glucose reflects this by not displaying the ups and downs we get with simple sugars and refined foods.
Keep your blood sugar levels balanced by avoiding (or at least reducing) all of the obvious sugar-laden culprits such as cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks, and increase your complex carbs by eating more brown rice, beans, oatmeal, peas, broccoli and cooked spinach.
Foods rich in protein are also important, as they can help keep you fuller for longer, and fibre, soluble fibre in particular, can help to slow down the absorption of sugar. Good protein sources include eggs, nuts, beans and lentils, and for fibre, black beans, butter beans and Brussels sprouts top the list.
Crucially, don’t leave it too long between meals otherwise you might be tempted to snack. You should aim to eat a meal every three to five hours.
Certain nutrients may also help to keep sugar cravings in check, including chromium. Chromium is a trace mineral that is needed for the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates and this is believed to be because of its effect on insulin. When you eat something sweet, your blood sugar levels rise quickly, triggering a release of insulin to help bring them back to normal. If your body is releasing insulin on a regular basis, you may of which has to do with become insulin-resistant, diabetes comes in.
Once your blood sugar levels have spiked, there comes an inevitable crash, and this is when you start to crave sugar.
Chromium is believed to enhance the action of insulin and reduce insulin resistance. It is also an active ingredient in Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF), a dietary component that increases the action of insulin. Good food sources of chromium include wholegrains, Brewer’s yeast, broccoli and lentils, or you could try a chromium supplement.
As with any healthy diet, balance is really important. Nutrient deficiencies can sometimes arise when you’re dieting (and ironically doing your best to avoid sugar), making you more vulnerable to cravings.
Low levels of calcium, magnesium and zinc can sometimes contribute to sugar cravings, zinc especially as it helps to support your production of insulin.
A mineral supplement like A.Vogel’s Balance Mineral Drink can help you to stay topped up. It contains calcium, magnesium and zinc, as well as natural vitamin D3. Simply add to a glass of water or blend into a smoothie for a fruity twist.
There are also many ways to sweeten food without adding sugar. The spice cinnamon is naturally sweet and delicious added to porridge if you enjoy your oats a little bit sweeter.
Coconut palm sugar is a low GI alternative to cane sugar with trace levels of phytonutrients, zinc and iron. It also contains inulin to help support friendly gut bacteria, and of course there’s manuka honey, which can be used to sweeten other foods or enjoyed off the spoon for a healthy sweet fix.
Finally, if you’re experiencing intense cravings, drink plenty of fluids to help metabolise your existing sugar stores. You should be aiming for 1.5 to 2 litres of plain water a day. which is where
THE SPICE CINNAMON IS NATURALLY SWEET AND DELICIOUS ADDED TO PORRIDGE IF YOU ENJOY YOUR OATS A LITTLE BIT SWEETER
I’m just a girl standing in front of the chocolate aisle asking it all to jump into the trolley without me having to make an effort. It’s been a bit of a week. I’m not going to lie, if the Maltesers don’t hurl themselves into my trolley right now I might have to go all Supermarket Sweep down the neighbouring crisp aisle and put dearly departed Dale Winton to shame.
The mister left me unattended. The fool. He nipped off to get some juice and returned to find me standing in the middle of the centre aisle like a lost soul clutching a tub of Haagen-Dazs.
His puzzled look is met only with my protestation that it’s on special and please don’t take this away from me. He knows it’s a lost cause and balances it on top of the Pringles I have assured him are essential for my mental health today. What can he do – put them back or soldier on muttering about how we came in for one thing and now the beepy machine is telling us we’re at £76.
£76 for a little comfort isn’t a massive expense, is it? The mister’s eye-roll, perfected from 16 years of being married to me, is performed and he moves swiftly towards the tills with me trailing behind like a spurned toddler.
I’ll quickly point out my tolerant, supportive husband is not the cause of my child-like pout fest. He is merely trying to get through it unscathed by accepting this period of mourning I have flung myself into must run its course and he can either go with it or become a casualty. This isn’t the first time he’s been exposed to this particular ‘M-J’ and knows exactly what to do.
He drives us home leaving me to sob into my scarf, mask already sodden, puts Fleetwood Mac on the stereo (I’m sure there’s a more modern word for the car sound system but sod it) giving my hand a wee squeeze to show his concern when the crying becomes more feral. He has the patience of a saint.
Everyone who knows me knows he has an infinite amount of understanding, and love in abundance. I remind myself of this and realise how lucky I am. This fact just makes me weep even more for I am an ungrateful wretch.
What on earth has caused this catastrophic sob-fest?
Nobody has died. Kids are all good. I’ve already been diagnosed with cancer so it’s not life shattering news again. Has Cadbury announced they’re going bankrupt and I can say goodbye to Dairy Milks? Nope. None of the above, phew.
I have, however, just come from the hospital and my final appointment with my brilliant, brilliant doctor. Unfortunately not due to my being cured but because she is moving on to pastures new in another area.
Do I have the right to be this upset? Probably not. Is it a rational reaction? Definitely not. Even I realise this is quite a scene. Even from me. I’m proud of the fact I managed to hold myself together during our final appointment but by the time we’d driven to the nearest Tesco all hope for a mature reaction was lost.
This incredible lady picked me up at the worst, worst point in my life and made it feel OK. She took control. She told me while everything might not be alright forever, she had me now and she was going to help me understand and fight.
She used better words but this is my dumbed-down recollection.
I believed her wholeheartedly and handed my trust over with a sigh of relief. I couldn’t have been in better hands, navigating the extreme learning curve the journey of a newly-diagnosed cancer patient undertakes. I am incredibly grateful she was the rock I needed to set me on the right path of this horrendous journey, especially when, by my own admission, I may not be the easiest patient.
Did I manage to say any of that in person? Not a bit of it. But maybe she’ll read it here and know how grateful I am, as I am sure all her patients are, for her kindness, wisdom and dedication.